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Now in Job 36 we're continuing with the error of Elihu. Elihu is not speaking the truth in this chapter. Elihu is one that is attacking Job, criticizing Job. Now the first part of the book was Job's three friends attacking him, criticizing him, falsely accusing him, and of course Job maintains his innocence before them, but they continue to tell Job that he must be guilty or these horrible things would not have happened to him. Elihu comes on the scene and says, oh yeah, you know, these three guys, they couldn't really answer Job, I'm going to tell Job the truth. But when Elihu begins to speak, it becomes obvious that he is saying the exact same things that the three friends said. And in this passage, I don't know if you picked up on it when we just read the whole chapter, but he clearly says over and over again, hey, if you do right, God's going to bless you, things are going to go great for you, and if you do evil, bad things are going to happen, you're going to die young. It's the prosperity gospel. Even today, we have this prosperity preaching of the Joel Osteens and Joyce Meyers and Kenneth Copeland that tell you that if you do right, God's going to bless you, you're going to be wealthy, you're going to be healthy, you're going to prosper in this world, and that if you don't prosper, it's because you don't have enough faith or you're not doing what's right. That's not the story of the Bible. All throughout the Bible, we see people suffering. For example, in Hebrews chapter 11, the great hall of faith, he talks about great people of faith, it says they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins being destitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and in mountains and in dens and caves of the earth. What does that have to do with the prosperity gospel of the modern day charismatic movement of your best life now and all this stuff about how, hey, you're going to be rich, God's going to bless you, and this if you do right. The truth of the matter is that if you do what's right, God is going to bless you spiritually and in the end you'll be blessed, but the Bible says many are the afflictions of the righteous and God's people do suffer. We don't just have our life as a bed of roses. Just because we believe in Christ and walk with God, our life's not going to be a bed of roses. The Bible says we're going to go through trials and tribulations in this life, and he very clearly said, yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. He said in Philippians chapter one, unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. That is the will of God, that after we have suffered for a little while, that God will try us and test us and then we will be exalted and glorified together with him. So this prosperity gospel is false, yet many people insist that Elihu speaks the truth because God does not specifically rebuke Elihu according to them. They say well Elihu speaks the truth, God was only angry at the three friends. Here's the problem with that logic, Elihu teaches the exact same thing that the three friends taught. And this chapter is a great example with all the prosperity teaching that Elihu does in this chapter that lines up perfectly what Eliphaz the Temanite said. So why would God be mad at Eliphaz the Temanite for teaching this doctrine? But when Elihu says it, it's fine. That makes no sense. People try to say that Elihu is the author of the book of Job. Go back if you would, I'll show you where they're getting this, but it goes back to chapter 32. Actually go to chapter 32. This is where Elihu first starts speaking, and this is their big evidence that Elihu wrote the book of Job. Now first of all, if you were here when we preached on chapters 32, 33, 34, and 35, we exposed errors in every chapter that Elihu speaks that was just contradicting all kinds of doctrines from all over the Bible. And tonight I'm going to show you statements that Elihu makes that contradicts the rest of the Bible. Okay? So it says in Job chapter 32, it says in verse number 14, it says, Now he hath not directed his words against me, neither will I answer them with your speeches. They were amazed, they answered no more, they left off speaking. When I had waited, for they spake not, but stood still and answered no more, I said, I'll answer also my part, I also will show mine opinion. For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me. So there you have it folks. There's the evidence that Elihu wrote the book of Job. I mean it's right there, don't you see it? No it's not evidence. He's just talking about the fact, they're saying well this is him pausing and giving his comments as the narrator of the book. Folks, it isn't there. Every chapter that Elihu has spoken has been filled with error and it's an attack on Job. Now let me just, I'm going to get into the chapter, I just want to drive in this point though. If you look at the very end of Job 34 verse 36, or verse 35, let's start in verse 35 of chapter 34, this is what Elihu says, Job hath spoken without knowledge and his words were without wisdom. And then he goes on to talk about how Job is sinful even though God said he was not sinful in chapters 1 and 2. So look, according to Job 34, 35, you have to choose between Job and Elihu. You can't have both. So if you're going to tell me that Elihu is the author of the book of Job and that what Elihu spake was right, then we're going to have to throw out all of Job's words. Because look what it says in Job 34 verse 35, Job hath spoken without knowledge and his words were without wisdom. So which one is it? Is everything that Job said, all the magnificent, wonderful truths that Job said, that line up with the rest of scripture, you would have to throw all that out to accept Elihu. Or Elihu is wrong and Job is right. Well which one does the New Testament say is a prophet of God? Which one does the New Testament say spake by the Holy Ghost? According to James 5, he was a prophet who spoke in the name of the Lord. And he was an example unto us. God praised him in the beginning and end of Job. We know the truth. Anyway, I just want to drive that in. But let's read what Elihu has to say in chapter 36, shall we? It says in verse number 1, Elihu also proceeded and said, Suffer me a little and I will show thee that I have yet to speak on God's behalf. Now this guy Elihu is claiming to speak on God's behalf. He's saying I speak for God. Of course every chapter has been filled with error. Of course he says that Job is wrong and Job is sinful even though God said no to that. But he says this, I will fetch my knowledge from afar and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker. For truly my word shall not be false. Watch this, he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee. Now what is he saying there when he says, he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee. He said, I want you to know who you're listening to right now. I mean, do you realize that you're with somebody right now that's perfect in knowledge? That's a pretty bold statement. That's a pretty prideful, arrogant statement. Basically you know what he's saying? I know everything because perfect in knowledge sounds like you have complete knowledge. You know all things. He says, I just want you to know that what I say is going to be right because he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee. He's talking about himself in the third person. Now instead of just saying hey, I'm perfect in knowledge, he's just saying listen, my words are going to be right and he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee. Right here. So this guy is, in every chapter he just exudes this arrogance and this puffed up attitude. We saw it in chapters 32 and 33 when he started out talking. Okay let's get into his wonderful, biblical, correct, truthful knowledge and doctrine. What does he say in verse 5? Okay hey, everybody, he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee. Ready for this? Verse 5, behold God is mighty and despiseth not any. He's already wrong. He hasn't even finished the first sentence. I mean he's just starting the sentence and he's already preaching error. Because is it true that God does not despise any? Well let's go to Psalm 73 because you have to compare scripture with scripture. Of all things hold fast that which is good. Look if Elihu were a true prophet of God, his words would line up with the rest of scripture wouldn't they? But when you've got a guy who's contradicting scripture in every chapter, it's pretty clear that he's not speaking for God. Even though he says I'm speaking on God's behalf. Well the Pope said that too, it didn't make it true. But look at Psalm 73 verse 20 because remember Elihu says God doesn't despise anybody. Now what does the word despise mean? Despise means hate, right? And he's saying basically God doesn't despise anybody, he's basically saying God doesn't hate anybody, okay? Now look, I just want to show you a verse that actually uses the word despise just to make it real clear for you. But Psalm 73 verse 19 says how are they brought into desolation, talking about the wicked, in a moment they are utterly consumed with terrors. As a dream when one awaketh, so O Lord when Thou awakest, Thou shalt despise their image. So right there David is saying that when God actually comes to judge these people, he's going to despise their image. Now flip over to Psalm 5, because remember according to Elihu, God doesn't despise anybody. He despises no one. Look at Psalm 5 and let's see if that's true. Look at verse 5 of Psalm 5, it says, The foolish shall not stand in Thy sight. Thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Verse 6, Thou shalt destroy them that speak leezing. The Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man. So according to Psalm 5 verses 5 and 6, in verse 5 it says that God hates all the workers of iniquity. And in verse 6 it says that he abhors the bloody and deceitful man. What does abhor mean? To hate. The word abhor, loathe, hate, despise, these words are synonyms that are used throughout the Bible. So right here clearly in scripture, the Bible says in verse 5 that God hates all the workers of iniquity. Now what does it mean to be a worker of iniquity? This is not just somebody who is just a sinner. When the Bible uses the term the workers of iniquity, it's talking about reprobate people. It's talking about very wicked ungodly people if you study that term in scripture. And in verse 6 he describes what these people are like, he calls them the bloody and deceitful man. Now let's look at Psalm 11 to further support what we see in Psalm 5. Psalm 11 actually ties in well with Psalm 5, talking about how God abhors the bloody and deceitful man. It says in Psalm 11, verse number 5, it says the Lord trieth the righteous, but the wicked and him that loveth violence, his soul hateth. So according to Psalm 11 5, God hates those who love violence. So if there's somebody who just loves violence, and when we talk about violence, it comes with the same root word as like violation. This isn't talking about, some people say boxing is violent. That's not violence because nobody's being violated, it's a sport. It's just recreation. Violence would be just going out and harming innocent people. One who just slaughters innocent people, one who harms innocent people in another way. The child molester, the violent, evil type person that would just love violence, just a bloodthirsty evil person. There are people like that in this world who are just monstrous people who just love violence. God said he hates those people. Now you say no Pastor Harrison, you're wrong because God loves everybody. Okay what verse is that in? It's not in the Bible. Now the closest thing to that is that the Bible says in John 3 16, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. But here's what you have to understand. God so loved the world. It is accurate to say that God loved everybody at some point, but there comes a point where a person could become so reprobate and so wicked that God no longer loves that person but hates that person. Go to Hosea chapter 9 verse 15. Who believes that Hosea is the word of God? Book of Hosea. I believe that the book of Hosea is God's word. I don't believe that Hosea was writing his opinion. I believe that Hosea spake as he was moved by the Holy Ghost and that all scripture is given by inspiration of God includes the book of Hosea. Look at chapter 9 verse 15. This is the Lord speaking. It says all their wickedness is in Gilgal for there I hated them. For the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house. I will love them no more. All their princes are revolters. Now right there not only does he say I hated them, but he also says I will love them no more. He says Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up. They shall bear no fruit, yea though they bring forth yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb. Now some people will look at this scripture, and I've had many people say to me about this scripture, they say that's not God talking, that's Hosea talking. And they'll say Hosea is saying in verse 15 that he hates these people and that he doesn't love them anymore. But here's the problem with that logic. In the verse that we're talking about, verse 15, notice toward the end of the verse he says I'll drive them out of my house. Do you think Hosea has all these people living in his house? You think Hosea has all these princes and all these wicked leaders of Israel all living in his house? No. When he says I'll drive them out of my house, that's God talking. God said I'll drive them out of my house. Now look, in verse 16 it says Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up. They shall bear no fruit, yea though they bring forth yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb. Is Hosea threatening to go kill these people's kids? No, that's the Lord saying that he's going to kill these people. The Lord's saying I'm going to drive them out of my house. So you've got to read the scripture and get the context of what it's saying. But either way, Hosea is speaking by inspiration of the Holy Ghost, but he's actually giving the word of the Lord in that verse as evidenced by the fact that he calls it my house and he talks about slaying the fruit of their womb. That's not something that Hosea was ready, willing, or able to do. So it's clearly God speaking. Let's go back to Psalms and look at some more scriptures from Psalms. Some people will again attack the scripture in Psalms and they'll say, you know, that's just David talking. Well I guess we could just do that with the whole Bible. I guess John 3.16 is just John talking. Oh Genesis, that's just Moses talking. Mark that's just Mark talking. Luke that's just Luke talking. Acts that's just Luke talking. Romans that's just Paul talking. What do you believe? Which book of the Bible do you believe? But when they say oh that's just Psalms, no, no, no. This is the word of God and the book of Psalms is quoted as the word of God by Christ and all the apostles. In fact, this is what Jesus Christ and the apostles often said things like this, you know, that the Holy Ghost spake by the mouth of David in the book of Psalms. Okay, so everything in Psalms according to Jesus and David was spoken by the Holy Ghost. And in fact, the Bible commands us in the New Testament to speak to ourselves in Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Now the Bible teaches that we should be singing hymns, we should be singing spiritual songs, but that we should also be singing the Psalms. Now throughout history a lot of believers have sung the Psalms. Now there are some versions of the Psalms that have been rhymed and made to rhyme in English, other versions of the Psalms that are just sung as is, straight out of the King James Version. But why would God tell us in the New Testament to sing these songs if they're wrong, if they're teaching us wrong things, or if they're no longer relevant? You know, it's clear the book of Psalms is relevant to us as New Testament believers. It does teach good doctrine, and it is not the word of David, it is the word of God. And Hosea is not the word just of Hosea, it's the word of God, okay? And so you can just hang on to that belief if you want that says, you know, hey I'm with Elihu, God doesn't despise anybody, God doesn't hate anybody, God just loves everybody. That's not a biblical teaching, okay? Now when the Bible says, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Again, that is in the past tense. God loved the world. That doesn't mean He's going to continue to love every person for all eternity. In fact, He's going to send people to hell if they're not saved. And that is not a loving thing to do. I mean, if you love somebody, you're not going to send them to hell, okay? That is one where it's too late for them. He loved them, He wanted them to be saved, but when they reject Him, well, now they're going to face His wrath, and they're going to be punished. He said in Hosea 9.15, I will love them no more. Because some people would say this, well, He loves them and hates them at the same time. But yet in 9.15, He says, I hated them, I will love them no more. So we see that He gives both sides of that coin there in Hosea 9.15. And again, just proof of the past tense of John 3.16, it says, He gave His only begotten Son. Well, I've got news for you. God does not have only one only begotten Son because the Bible teaches that God has begotten us again unto a lively hope. The Bible says we've been begotten again, okay? The Bible says that we are begotten of God, okay? And we are the sons of God, okay? Because we're in Christ and we're through Christ. But see, here's the thing, Jesus Christ was the firstborn among many brethren, okay? When He was given, He was the only begotten, okay? He's the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, my friend. And so, no, the Bible does not teach that God loves everybody. Now I remember when I was a teenager, I was 16 years old and a girl walked up to me when I was 16 years old and she, just out of the blue, walked up to me and said to me, does God love everybody? And I said, yes He does. And she showed me a Bible verse about God hating people. And she said, what about this verse? And I took the Bible out of her hand and I read the verse and I said, well you know what? I'm wrong then, because the Bible says here that God hates these people. So that's what we should do when we see something in Scripture that contradicts what we think. You've got to change what you believe to conform unto the Bible, because just because you believe something or have heard something doesn't make it so. Okay, let's look at more verses. Look at 26.5, Psalm 26.5. So far I've shown you one, two, three, four, five Scriptures that talk about God hating people. Okay, let's keep reading. Psalm 26 verse 5 says, I have hated the congregation of evildoers and will not sit with the wicked. Look at 31 verse 6, Psalm 31 verse 6. I have hated them that regard lying vanities, but I trust in the Lord. David speaking, yeah, David speaking by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost as a prophet of God saying, I've hated them that regard lying vanities, but I trust in the Lord. This is the man after God's own heart, this is the sweet psalmist of Israel. Look at, I'm sorry, back up to Psalm 10, we missed one. Psalm 10 verse 3 says, for the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire and blesseth the covetous whom the Lord abhorth. Here God is abhorring people. Flip over to Leviticus chapter 20, Leviticus chapter number 20. While you're turning there, because we just don't even have time hardly to go through all these verses that contradict the words of Elihu, but go to Leviticus and while you're turning there I'm going to read for you from Psalm 53 verse 5. It says, there were they in great fear where no fear was, for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee, thou has put them to shame because God hath despised them. What did Elihu say? God despises not any. Okay, Psalm 53 verse 5, God has despised them. That is a contradiction because Elihu is not speaking for God. Okay, look at Leviticus 20 verse 23. It says in verse 23, you shall not walk in the manners of the nation which I cast out before you, for they committed all these things and therefore I abhorred them. What kind of things did they commit? Well back up to verse 13 for an example. In verse 23 he said, they did all these things and I hated them. I abhorred them. Look at verse 13, if a man also lie with mankind as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination, they shall surely be put to death, their blood shall be upon them. That was one of the things they did, being a sodomite, being a queer, being a homo. Okay go to Leviticus 26 verse 30. Leviticus 26 verse 30 teaches, so now we've got it from Psalms, we've gotten it from the prophets, now we're getting it from Moses. We're getting it from Leviticus. It says in Leviticus chapter 26 verse 30, and I will destroy your high places and cut down your images and cast your carcasses upon the carcasses of your idols and my soul shall abhor you. Who's he talking to? He's saying unto his people Israel, he's saying Israel, if you commit all these abominations and wicked sins of the heathen, I'll abhor you if you do this stuff. Go if you would to Proverbs chapter 6. Let's hear it from Solomon. Proverbs chapter number 6, it's all over the Bible isn't it? Proverbs chapter 6, and while you're turning there, let me see if I can read you a different scripture. Well let's just go to Proverbs 6 for now. Proverbs 6 verse 16, and it says, these six things that the Lord hate, yea seven are an abomination unto him, a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, and a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. Now you say, you know what? Love the sinner, hate the sin. That's what people will often say. But in this, and they'll say God only hates the sin, he doesn't hate the sinner. But yet in this scripture he talks about hating the sinner. Because in verse 19 he clearly says that one of the things that the Lord hates is a false witness. Isn't that a person? He hates a false witness. And then he says also he hates he that soweth discord among brethren. Isn't that a person? He hates lying lips. That's a person. He hates their heart. That's a person. Go to chapter 22 verse 14. You say, well why is it that I've never heard this before? Because people don't read the Bible. You know why that girl walked up to me and I didn't know this when I was 16? Because when I was 16 I never read the Bible cover to cover. I mean if you read the Bible you must have read all this stuff, right? And if you, let's say you've read the Bible five times cover to cover. Since I'm showing you 22 scriptures about God hating people, that means you read 110 scriptures about God hating people and I guess you just, they just went right over your head. And if you read the Bible 10 times, that means 220 verses. If you read the Bible 20 times, that means 440 times you just, you just didn't, I never noticed that. 440? God tell you that 440 times. You read it that many times, right? But anyway, where did I return, 22 verse 14. The mouth of a strange woman is a deep pit. He that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein. You say, well that's abhorred. I showed you verses that said hate. I showed you despise. I showed you loathe. I showed you abhor. And I showed you a verse where he says I hated them and I love them no more. Just to show that he's not hating and loving at the same time. I don't even know how that would work in the first place, but go to Zechariah chapter 11. Zechariah is going to pipe up here and tell us the same thing, but while you're turning to Zechariah, I'll read for you from Psalm 139 verse 21 which says, Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee. I hate them with perfect hatred. I count them mine enemies. Search me O God and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting. Somebody needs to put that to music and we should sing that in the New Testament church according to Colossians 3 and Ephesians 5. But in Zechariah chapter number 11, the Bible says in verse 8, Three shepherds also I cut off in one month and my soul loathed them and their soul also abhorred me. You say show me some from the New Testament, well go to Romans 9. Romans chapter number 9, written by the Lord through the Apostle Paul but still God's word. Romans chapter 9 verse number 13 says, As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. And that's a quote from Malachi 1-2 which also says, Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated, I laid his inhabitants and his heritage waste for the desolate wilderness. I don't know, I'm paraphrasing it, I don't have it memorized right now. But anyway, plenty of scriptures that teach this. So let's go back to Job 36. Question of evidence, isn't there? A lot of scripture there. You say, well why do people say that God loves everybody? Because people just want to basically create God into their own image of what they want God to be like. And God is a loving God. God is love. God loves, okay, all of His children. Everybody who's saved, let me just say this, everybody who's saved, God loves. Every child of God is loved to the Lord. You know what the Bible says? Nothing can separate us from the love of God. Once we're saved, nothing can separate us from the love of God. Romans separates. But here's the thing though. When it comes to the unsaved, God loves most of the unsaved also. You don't have to be saved for God to love you, the Bible says we love Him because He first loved us. God also loves the unsaved. But does God love all of the unsaved? No because there are people who get to a point where they cross a line with God where they are no longer loved of God and they become what the Bible calls reprobate or rejected of the Lord. The Bible says in Jeremiah 6 verse 30, reprobate silver shall men call them because God has rejected them. And we see this in Romans 1 where God gives them over to a reprobate mind. He gives them up, it says. He gives them over. He gives them up. It says it three times. And they become reprobate or rejected of God and they get to a point where they have no salvation. They have no chance for salvation. Plenty of examples of this in the Bible. For example, Revelation 22 says that anyone who adds to or removes from God's word shall be damned. I mean it's clear. Their part is removed from the Book of Life. Some people will say, oh they lost their salvation. They never had salvation. As a person who's not saved, they tamper with God's word, they lose the opportunity to ever be saved. The place where their name would have been in the Book of Life is gone. The place where they could have been in the Holy City is gone. It's impossible for anyone to lose their salvation. God said I give them eternal life, they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. But an unsaved person can do something where they lose the opportunity to get saved in the future. Like for example, receiving the mark of the beast. And by the way, there are Bible teachers coming on the scene recently saying you can get the mark of the beast and still be saved. Has anybody heard of this? One of them, John MacArthur, and he's a really famous guy. In fact I was at the Christian bookstore this week purchasing some Bibles at the Christian bookstore and the guy behind the camera said, oh we got this special, this $5 book by John MacArthur. I'm thinking to myself, I'll pay you $5 if I don't have to read it. I'll give you $5 to keep it. John MacArthur recently, and you know it's not enough that he denied the blood of Christ. It's not enough that he has preached all kinds of works, salvation and Calvinism and it's not bad enough that he puts out his NIV study Bible and his ESV study Bible and his New American Standard Study Bible. Now John MacArthur has recently stated, and the videos on YouTube of him saying this, he says, you can still be saved, you can receive the mark of the beast and still go to heaven, still be saved. The Bible says if any man worshiped the beast in his image and received his mark, I'm messing it up and it's foreign to understand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the lamb, they have no rest day nor night who worshiped the beast in his image and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name, smokeeth their torment and senteth up forever and ever. I know I mixed that up a little, but he makes it real clear that when you take the mark of the beast, you're done. Taking the mark of the beast, you're damned. You worship the anti-Christ, receive the mark of the beast, you're done. Again, people will try to twist that into losing, no these are unsaved people, none of the elect will be deceived, the Bible says, by the anti-Christ according to Matthew 24. And you have to worship the anti-Christ to receive the mark of the beast. That's something that the saved are not going to do according to Matthew 24. So we're not talking about losing your salvation because that's impossible, we're talking about losing the opportunity to get saved. You receive the mark of the beast, you're doomed. You're doomed. And when God begins to pour out his wrath on this earth after the rapture, when he starts pouring out his wrath, you know what the first plague of the seven vials, he says, a grievous sore is going to come upon those who've received the mark of the beast. Everyone who receives the mark of the beast is going to get sores all over their body as a plague from the Lord when he begins to pour out his wrath on this earth. And so this teaching that says, yeah you can still be saved with the mark of the beast, and somebody even just told me about a fundamental Baptist preacher that started teaching that, a false teacher that calls himself a fundamental Baptist, I'm not going to name him right now because the Bible says against an elder receive not an accusation but before two or three witnesses, so I'm going to confirm it, I'm going to verify it, and then I will name him. If he's teaching, you can get the mark of the beast and still be saved. That's a satanic doctrine. That is not of the Bible. I mean the Bible is real clear that the mark of the beast eternally doomed someone to hell once they receive it. So this is a really clear biblical concept. That too are removed from God's word, doomed. Receive the mark of the beast, you're doomed. Okay? Blaspheme the Holy Ghost. You're doomed. He said if you blaspheme the Holy Ghost, you have no forgiveness. Neither in this world, neither in the world to come. So again, it's real clear in the Bible that there are things that you can do that will doom you and damn you and there's no going back. And that's what it means to be reprobate, and the Bible is real clear about this. So I'm not saying that God hates all unsaved people. That would be ridiculous to say that because, you know, a lot of unsaved people are nice people. Right? And, I mean, now they're not saved. We love them. We want to get them saved. We want to bring them the Gospel. We want to lovingly and gently bring them the word of God, tell them how to be saved. We don't hate them, but there are people who just are haters of God, lovers of violence, really bad people. You know, I mean, did you love Adolf Hitler? No. Mao Tse Tung, Joseph Stalin, you know, these are people from history. It's okay to hate them. You know, well, there are people like that still on this earth today. There's still people running concentration camps and torturing people today, you know. I mean, it's out there, especially in China and places like that, and North Korea and stuff like that. But anyway, I don't want to spend the whole night on that, but I do want to spend half the night on that, and I just did, okay, because, you know, I just want to show you these important scriptures. If I'm wrong, then I'm wrong, but you're going to have to figure out something to do with these 23 verses that I just read to you. You're going to figure out a way to interpret those, okay? I'm not wrong. But you know who is wrong? Elihu. Because in Job 36 here, he says in verse 5, Behold, God's mighty. I agree with that. So he was right for just a few words. And despiseth not any. Wrong. He's mighty in strength and wisdom. He preserveth not the life of the wicked, but giveth right to the poor. He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous, but with kings are they on the throne. Yea, he doth establish them forever, and they are exalted. Now I don't think that the righteous are with kings on the throne most of the time. You know, the kings of this world, the kings that are on the thrones of this world, they're probably not surrounded by a lot of righteous people. They're probably surrounded by a lot of unrighteous advisers and a lot of unrighteous governors that they work with. In fact, we may be living in the very last days. We have no idea, no man knoweth the day or the hour of Christ's coming. We don't know when Jesus will return, and we don't know when the events of the book of Revelation will take place, but we know that in the end time, and it could happen in our lifetime, we do see many of the signs of the times, don't we? You know that in the end time, there will be ten kings, the ten kings of this world that will give all their power unto the Antichrist. So I'm not sure about Elihu thinking, oh yeah, they're surrounded by righteous people. It was either chapter 34 or 35 where he said that basically all kings are righteous. All kings are righteous. That was another false doctrine of Elihu. But he says, let's keep reading here, he says in verse number 8, and if they be bound in fetters and beholden in cords of affliction, then he showeth them their work and their transgressions that they have exceeded. He openeth also their ear to discipline and commandeth that they return from iniquity. If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity and their years in pleasures. I mean, listen folks, if you obey God, you're going to spend your life in prosperity and your years in pleasures. You want to live a life of total pleasure? You want to live a life of total prosperity? Just live for the Lord. And you know what? I mean, your teeth will look perfect like Joel Osteen, you'll have lots of millions of dollars like Joel Osteen, you'll be living your best life now like Joel Osteen. This is not biblical. This is not the truth. Elihu's wrong. Keep in mind, what's the context? He's telling Job, you know why you lost all your money, Job? Because you're in sin. You know why your 10 children died, Job? Because you're living in sin. You know why you lost your business and all your cattle, Job? Because you're living in sin. You know, the Bible said Job was a perfect and an upright man that feared God and eschewed evil and that Satan had moved the Lord to destroy him without cause. Elihu's trying to pin all this on Job, that he's in sin. And Job, if you did right, you'd be living your best life now, Job. You'd be living in prosperity and pleasure. He says in verse number 12, but if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword and they shall die without knowledge. But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath. They cry not when he bindeth them. They die in youth and their life is among the unclean, sort of like Mao Tse Tung who died in his 80s. All the wicked people die in their youth, right? Of course not. He says in verse 15, now look, do many times wicked people die young? Of course. Most wicked people die young, okay? So that is true. And you know, the Bible does teach that righteous people will live long. But here's the thing, there are a lot of exceptions to that. Because there are some wicked people who live a really long time and there are some very righteous people who die young, Stephen, for example. But here's the thing, Eli who's trying to say is always that way. Because remember, what's the point of what he's saying? Get the context. He's telling Job why Job is in sin. Because everybody who does right lives a long, happy life filled with pleasure and prosperity and everybody who does wrong dies young, gets judged by God. That's what he's saying because in the context that's what he's saying. Because he's applying to Job that this is the proof, because he has no proof of, hey Job, here's a photograph of you, you know, taking your girlfriend out instead of your wife. Hey Job, you know, I found these incriminating emails of you, you know, hey Job, I found, you know, this evidence against, no. All his evidence is that Job's not prospering. That's the evidence that he's in sin right there. See Eli was teaching these as just absolutes, just always that that's the case. It says in verse 15, he delivered the poor in his affliction and opened up their ears in oppression. Even so, would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place where there is no strait. I don't know about you, I'd rather be on the strait, the strait gate, not the broadway. He says, and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness. That sounds pretty good right now. I'm pretty hungry, I haven't eaten much today, but, you know, your plate's not always full of fatness just because you're serving the Lord, okay. It says in verse 17, but thou has fulfilled the judgment of the wicked, judgment and justice take hold on thee. What's he saying? You are facing justice and judgment right now, Job. You know why your 10 children died, Job? That's justice. You know why you lost all your money? That's justice, that's a judgment of God. We know from chapters 1 and 2 it wasn't. It's a test, it's a trial. Elihu's wrong again. He's wrong over and over and over again. It says in verse 18, because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke. Then a great ransom cannot deliver thee. Will he esteem thy riches? No, not gold, nor all the forces of strength. Desire not the night when people are cut off in their place. Take heed, regard not iniquity, for this has thou chosen rather than affliction. What has he chosen? According to Elihu, Job chose iniquity. According to God, he was a perfect and upright man that feared God and eschewed evil. Verse 22, behold God exalted by his power, who teacheth like him, who hath enjoined him his way, or who can say thou is wrought iniquity. Remember that thou magnify his work which men behold. Every man may see it. Man may behold it afar off. Behold God is great and we know him not. Neither can the number of his years be searched out, for he maketh small the drops of water. They pour down rain according to the vapor thereof, which the clouds do drop and distill upon man abundantly. Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds or the noise of his tabernacle. Behold he spreadeth his light upon it and covereth the bottom of the sea, for by them judgeth the people. He giveth meat in abundance. With clouds he covereth the light and commanded not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt. The noise thereof showeth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapor. Now let me say this, Elihu does have a really good handle on the water cycle. I mean he nailed it. He nailed it about water evaporating, turning into clouds, raining, the bottom of the sea being covered with water. I mean he's dead on. But he needs to stick with meteorology, and he needs to stick with precipitation, condensation, and evaporation, because when it comes to the spiritual matters, he's out to lunch. When it comes to who God is, when it comes to what's happening to Job, when it comes to biblical doctrine, he's wrong. He's good in science, we'll give him that. But let's prioritize and have a word of prayer. God we thank you so much for your word, Lord, and we thank you for this chapter. Even though this chapter is a chapter spoken by a man who is attacking Job and criticizing Job and maligning Job, Lord, we can still learn from it because we can compare it with the rest of your word and we can figure out what is true and what's not. And Lord, we thank you for the example of Job. He's a godly, righteous man. Help us to be like him. Help us not to fall for the prosperity gospel of the charismatics, Lord, but rather help us to understand that we, like Job, are going to go through trials and tribulations. Hopefully it won't be as bad as what Job went through, but Lord, help us to be prepared to suffer for you, and in Jesus' name we pray, amen.